1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic apparatus in which a cartridge is detachably mounted to a body of an electronic apparatus, and a game program to be executed is read out from a memory incorporated in the cartridge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been proposed various kinds of electronic apparatuses in which a cartridge is detachably mounted to the body of the electronic apparatus, and a game program to be executed is read out from a memory incorporated in the cartridge. The conventional cartridges mounted to the electronic apparatuses of this kind have a connector for connection, which is provided with a plurality of pin terminals. A circuit portion of the electronic apparatus body and a memory circuit portion of the cartridge are electrically connected through the pin terminals.
With the technological advances in electronic apparatuses provided in recent years, a multiplicity of pin terminals are provided in order to exchange multiple kinds of data and various kinds of signals between the electronic apparatus body and the cartridge. When the multiplicity of pin terminals are arranged in a limited space of a connector, it is necessary to set a narrow width for each pin terminal and to set intervals between adjacent pin terminals as narrow as possible.
Furthermore, the conventional electronic apparatuses determine whether or not a cartridge is lawful (legal) or unlawful (illegal) when the cartridge is mounted thereinto. Then, if it is an unlawful one, the execution of the game program is prohibited.
For example, first image data such as a trademark is stored in a memory provided on the body side of the electronic apparatus, and second image data is stored in a memory provided on the cartridge side. In the case where the first and second image data coincide with each other, the game program is permitted to execute.
However, in the case where the multiplicity of pin terminals are arranged in a limited space of the connector, a narrow width of each pin terminal is set and intervals between the adjacent pin terminals are also set as narrow as possible, it is presumed that the pin terminals may contact with other pin terminals or a circuit portion due to a slight shift upon mounting the cartridge. When the pin terminals contact other pin terminals or a circuit portion in this way, there is a fear that a signal will not be properly transmitted or will be converted into another signal to cause a malfunction.
Furthermore, in the conventional electronic apparatuses, if the mounted cartridge is unlawful, the content of the cartridge is eliminated. However, unlawful cartridges are still found on the market. Due to this fact, it has been desired to ensure that unlawful cartridges are entirely eliminated from the market by conducting further improved security checks.